The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-06

intends to do. The only question for Governor
Ogesby to consider Is the degree of punish
ment. The question of guilt has been fully
settled by the courts, and the decision of the
Supreme Court su stains the constitutionalty OF
the law under VIII ch they were tried and con-
vic.ed Now I'LL tell sou whore Oeesby can be
touched and that is upon the question of inno-
cence. If he has reason TO suppose that a man
is unjusty accused, then he Is sympathetic.
He is particularly careful to find out whether
a man is guilty or not, but in this case that is
out of the question. The courts have settled
that, and the men say they won't have COM
mutation They want liberty or death. don't
does, however. will be right, and We will all ap-
prove his action"
Far be it from me to intimate that all the
sympathy expressed at this time is born of
cowardice On the contrary. the most callous
readers must be moro or less affected by the
present condition and ultimate fate of the
women. wives and sweethearts, and children Of
the unfortunate men. It is the dark places Of
the earth which full of the habifations OF
cruelty. AS man merges from barbarism into
society he places a value upon the lives of others
as great as that which he places upon his own
The Commune may be profligate of its own and
others lives Society 10 conservative of both.
It is q horrible thought that men, now
full OF life and thought, may. by the pulling OF
"a single bolt, be left as inert impotent as the
fore the eleventh day CT this month, unless
executive mercy intervene. 1t is yet
more horrible to think of the walls
of the widows and orphans, the wives
that were and the wives that were to be- But
other Thoughts of private sorrow rise unbidden.
All society pities these men and their relatives
and friends. No word of pity comes from them
for those who 'for and country died" in the
dread Haymarket riot. AS for the friends Of the
dead, no word of remorse for the past, no prom
Use of reform for the future has passed the bars
of their prison. While society whose laws have
been broken, whose officers have been slain. has
witnessed in sad silence the slow and solemn
spired the words of that dangerous class upon
whose passions, and upon whose ignorance the
condemned men worked to the dire climax of
tire Haymarket Jurors and judges, attorneys
and sheriff, the Governor of the State, and the
Presidentof the Nation alike have been threat
ened with death by domestic or foreign allies
of the condemned. While every plea that
friendship, even when it lawless could
make behalf of the offenders, has been faith
fully recorded by the press, the language of the
press has been Indignantly distorted, hdeously
perverted most falsely translated by alien agi-
tators to aliens VINO were themselves incapable,
by reason of ignorance of the American tongue,
from correcting the malicious error. This has
been done a means of exciting future riot
Neither the condemned nor their friends have
made protest nor is it to be forgotten that with
the exception of poor Sam Fielder. not one of
the men who urged murder and spoliation
settlement of '1abor bles' appears to have
been laoorer in good faith Two of them
one is native American, but, Fielden excepted,
they all seem to have earned money by urging
others not to work, rather than by working
1t is with great difficulty that the papers
which lean toward mercy for some can find a
footpath toward a plane on which rhev can
stand with any such suggestion. Why, how OBJ
vlous 1t must be that mercy alone remains.
The Governor quite understands that. Whom
the Rev. Mr.. Blake and his companions, who
went to Springfield to plead for the lives of the
condemned Anarchists, we're asked by Governor
Oglesby whether their mission was appeal
for mercy or plea for justice, with one accord
ter. If they had considered their words. or IN
derstood what must be Governor Ogesbys sole
relation to the case, they would have answered
differently. The Governor may season justice
with mercy. He cannot administer justice.
His Office is executive. not judicial In tho ex-
ercise OF the powers vested in him
by communication or pardon. He cannot |
reverse or set aside the Judgment in the case |
against Spies and his associates. With the re-
fusal of the Supreme Court of the United States |
to grant writ of error, the justice of the con-
victOn according to the Constitution and laws |
of this State and Nation stands affirmed. With |
a jealous care not to deprive the condemned |
men of any right guaranteed to the lowliest |
citizen under the Constitution. the entire Su- |
preme Bench heard and considered their prayer |
Unanimously it found that there was no error |
against federal justice in their trial There was |
not dissenting voice in the Supreme Court of |
the United States. as there had not been dis |
seutng voice in the Supreme Court of Illinois. !
The verdict rendered in Judge Garys court. l
therefore, stands impregnable the decree of |
American justice against the convicted Anar-
chiets.
What plea have they now to offer why Gov
ernor Oelesby should extend TO them the Glenn
ency of the people of Illinois against whose
peace and prosperity they have plotted |
and done murder2 The question is too grave a
one to be answered by the old Genunciations of
law and society, constituted Society has
been amazingly tolerant of the abuses heaped |
upon it by who threatened to reform it
with dynamite, ruin and death.
To-day Governor Oglesby represents organ
lied society. To him the Anarchists must make
a plea that NAV move him to withhold justice
from them and grant them mercy He cannot
be moved by demands. He would be recreant if |
he were influenced by threats.